The Christening
by deliver.me
Summary: A ceremony for a new ship is cause for celebration for all residents of Port Royal except for two bored attendees. Post CotBP; Pre DMC.


_Disclaimer: POTC belongs to Disney_

_A/N: I did this as a birthday/anniversary present for some good friends. The end._

Under normal circumstances, residents of Port Royal would find the tremendous crowd near the pier an unfamiliar sight, but the publicity surrounding His Majesty's newest ship swept through the Caribbean town like wildfire as soon as the basic hull construction had begun. As the finishing date drew closer, news of a grand ceremony spread even faster. Of course, only the upper class had access to the actual launch site, but most of the town had gathered themselves on an elevated spot of land to witness the unusual scene. It wasn't often that ships were built in Port Royal – especially ships that were to be used by the Royal Navy. Most of the time, larger vessels were imported from other ports that were more equipped to handle the technical requirements. No one could explain why it had been decided to build the _Early Dawn_ in Port Royal, but none really concerned themselves over the reason.

Down below, Port Royal's upper society gathered themselves as close to the ship as possible. They crowed the docks but were held at bay by the marines stationed around the pier. A select few were chosen to join the governor and naval officers on deck for the actual ceremony. A table was centered on the forecastle, and upon it had been placed wine and a golden goblet to be used by Governor Swan in the christening. Commodore Norrington stood by his side, and the two faced the small group crowded on the deck below as the trumpets signaled the beginning of the ceremony. After the horns finished, the audience politely applauded as the governor stepped forward to begin his salutation.

A quiet pair stood unnoticed at the back of the crowd. Both had been dressed smartly by the governor's servants and looked quite fashionable, however neither had any interest in the speech being presented. They had managed to slip through the crowd discretely, pretending to mingle with those around them until they were able to reach the edge of the group near the captain's quarters. Despite the breezy, sunny weather of the day, the early evening had turned decidedly humid, and the two were anxious to leave the exposed deck in favor of a cooler atmosphere. The shorter of the two shifted her weight restlessly from one foot to another and made no attempt to conceal her boredom. The taller one stood still and kept his eyes on the governor, though they had turned glassy some time before.

After a few minutes of the monotonous droning, the young woman huffed loudly, and it caught her partner's attention. His head slowly turned in her direction as he tried not to bring attention to themselves. She stared moodily at the backs of the people in front of them. He reached to touch her elbow, and her eyes instantly snapped to his. The disgruntled look remained on her face, and the man raised his eyebrows in mock indignation.

"What?" he whispered.

"What do you mean 'what'? This is ridiculous."

"The ceremony?"

"This," she replied, "and my father's mad approach to public speaking. I fear night will fall before he's done. His speeches never fail to create the intense sensation of boredom. I can't believe the people swallow it as they do."

"Elizabeth, he's your father!"

"I know that!" she snapped. "It doesn't change the fact that this is the _eighth_ public appearance we've had to make _this month_ because I happen to be his daughter."

"True, but it's our responsibility to be here however tiresome it may be."

"Oh, sod responsibility, Will! I had no intention of spending my entire afternoon on this bloody ship," she hissed.

Their conversation caught the attention of the bystanders in front of them, and a few turned around to shush them. Will apologized quietly, but Elizabeth rolled her eyes before leaning closer to her fiancé to continue. "We have to find an escape."

"Who's being ridiculous now? There's no way we're leaving. Have you seen this deck? The only way off is completely blocked."

She looked towards the starboard side and saw that Will was right. There were so many people on board that sneaking off the ship would be out of the question. Her eyes scanned the rest of the deck looking for a possible escape route. Finding none, she huffed once more, crossed her arms, and rested against the wall behind her. A few seconds passed before she realized what exactly _was_ behind her. She stood upright slowly, and as quietly as she could, one hand reached for the door handle to the captain's cabin as the other grabbed Will's.

His attention had already returned to the ceremony. Before he knew what was happening, he felt himself being tugged through an open doorway. He stumbled awkwardly inside as Elizabeth hurriedly closed the door behind him.

"Wha–" he started.

"Shh! I'm surprised no one spotted us with you falling through the door like that!"

"To be fair, I had no idea what you were doing. I still don't. We shouldn't even _be_ in here!"

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and sat down in one of the chairs. "If you would rather watch the ceremony, be my guest, but I'm staying here until it's over."

Will looked as if he were torn between the two options. He stood silent for a moment before sighing loudly and sitting across from Elizabeth. "If anyone finds out we were in here instead of out there, it would be the only thing talked about for the rest of the year."

"Let them talk. It's not as if they're keeping quiet now. Besides, we've already done everything they're gossiping about these days," she smirked.

Will shook his head, "It's all speculation on their part. They don't know that."

"I wouldn't care if they did."

"Your father might." He paused and then leaned back in his chair. "How is it you remain so carefree of society's rules?"

"You'll learn eventually this society that creates such rules is comprised of brainless idiots who are too concerned with themselves."

"What about your father?"

"He's approved of you, so at least that proves he's got brains."

"Touché."

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the cool darkness of the cabin. Will watched Elizabeth as she relaxed with her eyes closed. "If you're so resistant of society," he said, disrupting the quiet, "why are you still wearing corsets?"

It looked as if she were struggling to keep from rolling her eyes. "Because my poor father is tricked into buying these fashions, and he doesn't know any better, God love him."

He smiled. "You still didn't answer my question."

Elizabeth shifted her weight to a more comfortable position as she kicked off her shoes. "Because I can't hurt Father's feelings, can I? He tries so hard. Fortunately for me, hooped petticoats are seemingly becoming less fashionable, as you can see," she said, gesturing at her sack dress. "Unfortunately for me, corsets will never fade in popularity. I wouldn't let Estrella tighten the laces on this one."

"Does that mean you won't be falling from any large heights today?"

"Decidedly not."

"How disappointing," he said, standing up.

"Where are you going?"

"No where. I just thought I'd look around. It's a nice cabin, don't you think?"

"It is, but I wouldn't want to spend my months cooped up here."

Will walked to the large windows at the back of the room. "I thought you said you wanted to sail all over the world."

Elizabeth stood to join him. "That was when I was twelve, and before I had been kidnapped. It's not as fun as I'd imagined it to be."

"This captain's going to have quite a view as he sails. Look at these windows. How strange…they open." He turned a latch to one of the large windows and pushed it forward.

"Why is that strange?"

"Because most ships' windows won't. These have the lock built in the center so that it opens really wide."

"Why would a captain want windows that opened like this?"

"I don't know," he said, pulling the window closed. "To dispose of waste perhaps. Maybe he can use it to toss an unruly crew member overboard."

"Couldn't he just push him over the side?"

Will smiled, "It could be done more discretely here, couldn't it?"

"I suppose," she laughed.

She turned and walked around the rest of the cabin, inspecting the intricate designs carved into the furniture. When she noticed the unusual bed linens, she stopped to examine them. For a man's belongings, the embroidered design on the material was very pretty, and Elizabeth ran a finger over the threads. She sat down on the bed and tested the firmness of the mattress. Looking up at Will, she said, "This bed is really feminine, don't you think?"

He quirked an eyebrow and playfully suggested, "Maybe the captain is a woman."

"Not likely in this navy. In fact, I remember father mentioning who he was, but I can't recall his name. Look at these patterns! Even the decoration on the frame seems to be designed for a woman. It's definitely not something I'd expect to see on a naval ship."

"Maybe it's the latest trend in London."

Elizabeth smiled and patted the mattress beside her. "Would you like to join me?"

"I'd love to."

The mattress sank with his weight, and she leaned into his shoulder. His hand took hers and massaged the palm. A contented sigh left her, and though he shouldn't have been surprised when he felt her lips on his neck, he was and pulled away from her.

"You can't be serious, Elizabeth."

His questioning look didn't deter her. "What?" she asked, leaning into him once more to continue her kisses against his throat.

"We're not supposed to be in this cabin, and you–"

His lecture was cut short when her mouth covered his. Inwardly, she knew it wouldn't take long to wear down his resistance. They'd been in much more compromising positions before, and Will had acquiesced to her demands every time. This occasion would be no different.

Her small hands left his and moved to the sides of his face, pulling him close to her body. Will was well versed in this routine, and he didn't hesitate to clutch her waist. Gently, he pulled her into his lap, hugging her close. She smiled into their kiss because she knew then that they would be christening the ship with their own private ceremony. Her hands slid to the buttons of his waistcoat. Starting with the top, she undid each one as her mouth returned to his neck. The coat he wore was clumsily discarded on the bed while she worked to undo the buttons, and she knew there was a good chance those closest to the door of the cabin heard the bed creak as Will bounced in his attempt to undress.

Elizabeth rose from his lap and hurried to the door. As quietly as she could manage, she locked it. When she turned around, she saw the reality of the situation dawn on Will's face, and she grinned. "What's the matter Mr. Turner? You look a little anxious."

"I'm not anxious," he tried to defend, but a waver in his answer told her otherwise.

"Your voice is cracking," she observed, leaning against the locked door.

He looked as if he wanted to protest but couldn't find the words. Finally, he rose from the bed and crossed the room to where she stood. Without saying a word, Will lifted her into the air and kissed her. It was then that Elizabeth remembered she had not finished with his waistcoat and struggled to pull it from him, which was complicated by the fact that he was holding her tightly against his body. Eventually, he understood what she was trying to do and set her down. In seconds, the piece of clothing was on the floor, and Elizabeth turned her attention to her own outfit.

The task of undressing was difficult for her because the clasps were located on the back, just out of her reach. Will had occupied himself in removing his gloves, shoes, and stockings and was unaware of her predicament until he heard her stomp her foot. He took her hand and led her to the window in order to have more light to see the back of the dress. Elizabeth turned, and his fingers began their quick work undoing the hooks, buttons, and ties. She could see his face in the mirror in front of her, and the look of concentration made her laugh.

"What?" he asked without looking up.

"I just find it amusing that you've become quite the expert of women's fashions since the first time you attempted to help me."

His gaze met hers in the mirror, and a small smile crept onto his face. Less than a minute later, Will released the last restraint, and Elizabeth carefully stepped out of her dress and placed it on the captain's chair. She turned to remove his tunic, but Will interrupted her attempt when he spun her to access the ties on her corset. His head lowered to her left shoulder, and he placed light kisses along her skin. Estrella had done a fine job with the ties of the corset because they came undone without much effort.

As soon as the constricting fashion piece had fallen, Elizabeth leaned into his body, completely losing herself in Will's continued kisses against her neck. Her hair had been pinned up, which she thoroughly enjoyed now that it allowed him complete access to sensitive skin. Her hands traveled across his shoulders and neck before finally stopping at the tie holding his hair in place. With one gentle tug, it loosened, releasing his hair around her hands, and she immediately wove her fingers into it, bringing him closer against her. Will responded with small bites at the back of her neck, making sure to keep his marks in a place that could be well hidden from her father and the rest of society.

Because of the recent weather, Elizabeth had elected to wear a thin petticoat under the cumbersome dress, and the light material left nothing to the imagination for either of them. Will gazed appreciatively down her front and pressed himself against her bum. Elizabeth reciprocated the movement and slid down and back up as his hands held her hips close against his body. She turned her head to kiss him, her hands still in his hair. One of her legs wrapped around his, bringing it in between her own for more support as she leaned against him. Will's hands moved across her stomach slowly, making it clear where their destination would be but prolonging the arrival. He fingered the simple design over the front, and Elizabeth slipped her tongue past his, silently pleading for a faster pace. This made him smile, but he didn't give in to her request.

Instead he turned her to face him and removed his tunic. His trousers remained firmly in place, and Elizabeth went directly for the belt holding them there. As her fingers worked the buckle, Will kissed her again, preventing her from watching herself unfasten the belt. He moved them as they kissed, and when the back of Elizabeth's legs touched the captain's bunk, she pulled from him.

"We can't. Not the bed."

Will blinked slowly. "What?"

"It's too pretty. And I don't want to leave any evidence that we were here."

Will looked around the room in confusion. Their clothes were strewn everywhere, and the linens were already wrinkled from where they had previously sat. Having already learned that Elizabeth's logic wasn't something to argue against, he asked, "Where would you prefer, Miss Swann?"

Elizabeth frowned slightly at the formal term but shook her head and said, "I don't care. Surprise me."

He scanned their surroundings carefully and spotted a navigation table on the other side of the room. Just before he could mention it to Elizabeth, Will felt his trousers fall from his hips. He looked at them laying crumpled in the floor and then to Elizabeth, who had been the one to yank them down. She was in the process of removing her petticoat. Somehow she had managed to forego unclasping the buttons in the back and was in the process of pulling the entire ensemble over her head. Will reached out to touch her stomach when it was exposed. He couldn't stop himself from kneeling so that he could kiss the soft skin. When her fingers thread themselves through his hair once more, he knew that she had been successful in discarding the undergarment. His eyes met hers, and they smiled at one another.

Elizabeth brushed a strand of hair from his eyes, and Will resumed his kisses against her stomach, traveling lower and lower. His hands moved to the back of her thighs, and he could feel her pulling against his hair in anticipation of what was coming. He took his time getting to his destination, and when he finally reached it, his tongue rolled slowly against her. She pitched forward, and one of her hands had to brace herself against his shoulder. Will's hand coaxed her leg to rise as he continued, and Elizabeth's fingers tightened their grip on his hair. She concentrated to keep herself upright as his tongue continued its lolling path. Her knees weakened, and Elizabeth had to push him away to keep from falling over.

It was then that Will remembered seeing the navigation table. He picked her up and quickly carried her to the other side, placing her upon the edge of the furniture. He didn't have time drop to his knees again because Elizabeth had pulled him roughly against her, eagerly sucking his neck and collarbone. Placing his hands on either side of her hips, he leaned forward, lowering her to the table's surface. One of his hands slid against the smooth wood and came to rest under her shoulders while the other moved to the top of her thigh.

In one smooth motion he entered her and felt her bite his neck forcefully in surprise. In seconds, Elizabeth had recovered. She lifted her knees to his sides, allowing the bottom of her feet to rest against the back of his thighs, helping dictate the speed and depth of every thrust. Once a steady pace had been set, Will's hand left her thigh, took both of her wrists, and pinned them above her head. He could see her entire body quiver as he moved against her. He stared unashamedly, loving the sight of her closed eyes. After a minute, Elizabeth threw her head back, and a quick gasp escaped, leaving her mouth open in its wake. Her eyes opened then, and she caught Will's gaze. The two kept eye contact as Will playfully slowed, staying in complete control and knowing that she couldn't stand it. A gradual push into her was followed by a lazy retreat, and after every instance he paused for moment before repeating the process. Her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth, and she stared at him, silently begging him for more than he was giving. Ignoring her plea, he leaned forward to stay close to her and continued to hold tight to her wrists, realizing that the inability to move was driving her mad.

Will's new position deepened their contact, and Elizabeth squirmed beneath him in an attempt to free her hands. Her feet left his thighs when her legs wrapped tightly around him. She had managed to create her own form of restraint and kept him moving inside her this way, not allowing him to tease her anymore. He momentarily considered trying to take back control but decided he had had enough as well. The momentum quickened, and the softness that existed with the teasing had disappeared. With each heavy thrust, Elizabeth's breathing grew shorter, and the navigation table moved closer towards the wall, causing Will to have to continuously adjust his footing.

The arm under Elizabeth's shoulders left to wrap around her waist, lifting her slightly and bringing back some of the control he had lost. It only took a few more strokes against her before she was bucking wildly against him. Short, quick gasps flew from her mouth, and in seconds her back arched higher off the table than he thought possible as her orgasm finally overtook her body.

Before she could finish, Will released her wrists and brought both of his hands to her hips and gripped them firmly. Immediately, Elizabeth's own grabbed the table's edge. He closed his eyes and ground himself into her hard, trying to ride the last few waves of her climax to reach his own. Feather-light touches against his stomach took him by surprise, and a soft grunt escaped just as he lost himself within her.

The two lay still for a few seconds while Will tried to slow his breathing. Once again, Elizabeth reached up to move his hair from his face but to no avail. She smiled at him and kissed his forehead in appreciation. He returned her smile and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could the handle of the cabin's door jostled. He jumped up, eyes widened and said, "The ceremony's over!"

Elizabeth smirked, and the two went about the room looking for their lost clothing. All of her belongings were fairly close by, whereas Will's were in every corner of the room. As he pulled his trousers on, she struggled to slip her petticoat back over her head. The need to hurry complicated the issue, and she found that putting it on was much more difficult than taking it off. The rattling at the door continued sporadically, and after a minute, she managed to finally arrange the piece of clothing properly. Will had managed to secure his belt and tunic while he desperately searched for his stockings. The scene would have been more comical to her had Elizabeth not realized the ceremony had to have been over for ten minutes, which meant that her father was probably beginning to notice their absence. That realization forced her to hasten her dressing. She ran to the spot where she left her shoes, picked them up, and brought them back to her dress.

By this time, Will had found his own shoes and stockings and was in his own battle to pull them on. He began bouncing on one foot, trying to balance himself, and teetered dangerously near the captain's desk.

"Will, why don't you sit down?"

"I can do it this way just fine."

"Here, let me help," she said as she stood beside him to offer some support.

"I'm fine, Elizabeth. Go put on your dress."

"I'm going to need your help."

"Maybe you should fix your hair, then."

Elizabeth walked to the window and looked at her reflection in the glass. Most of her hair had fallen from its place, and she knew there would be no fixing it back the way it looked. She tried to pin the large strands out of the way as best she could and then turned back to Will, who was still trying to put on his stockings.

"Will," she said, reaching out to him, "come here and sit down."

When she pulled on his elbow, he lost his balance and fell into her. Her back hit the window, and it opened. Her body wobbled back and forth, and she grabbed Will's shoulders to steady herself, but it was too late. She began falling out of the window. Will tried to grab her hand but doing so only caused him to fall as well. Within seconds, they were in the water. Both came up sputtering and completely soaked through.

"Oh, shit," Elizabeth moaned.

"What were you thinking?"

"What do you mean? I was _trying_ to help you! I thought you closed the window!"

"I did!" he cried. "I guess I forgot to latch it."

"What are we going to do?" she hissed.

Will looked around, trying to determine whether anyone had noticed. He couldn't see the pier or any bystanders that may have witnessed their fall. Deciding to try and swim to the underside of the dock, he took Elizabeth's hand and tugged her towards the pier. There was a small platform underneath that they could stand on in order to get out of the water. Will helped her onto it and pulled himself up immediately afterwards. Elizabeth had already begun ringing the water out of her hair.

"What are we going to do about our clothes?" she asked.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "I don't know."

The sound of his voice made her giggle, and Will gave her an astonished look. "What?"

"I think we've gotten ourselves into something deep this time."

"How is that _funny_?"

Elizabeth only smiled at him, still wrenching water from her hair. Both of their eyes scanned their surroundings looking for some way to explain their predicament to anyone who would eventually find them. Will noticed a ladder that could take them to the top of the dock, but he knew they wouldn't be able to stand in the crowd in their current condition. They were both completely drenched with no shoes, and Elizabeth wore only her thin petticoat, which would be quite scandalous if she were seen.

"I think our best option is having me go back onboard to find your father and–"

"And how are you going to explain your appearance or where I am? I don't think that will work."

"What do you want me to do, then?"

Elizabeth's attention was directed over his shoulder when she said, "Throw something towards my father."

"What?" he asked as he turned to see what had caught her eye.

Governor Swann was walking along the waterfront, back towards the mansion. He was close enough to hear their cries, but neither of them needed the extra attention that would bring. Will felt something press into his hand and realized Elizabeth had handed him a small rock.

"Where did you get this?"

"They're all over this platform. Hurry!"

"I'm not going to throw this at your father!"

"I'll take the blame for it! Just go before he walks any farther!"

Reluctantly, Will hurled the rock at the governor's back. It sailed through the air and bounced hard off his right leg. Weatherby looked around bewilderedly. Elizabeth's frantic arm waving caught his attention, and he squinted to see who had hit him. When he realized who was standing beneath the pier, the couple saw him close his eyes and sigh heavily. He walked to a marine stationed nearby and spoke quietly to him. It became apparent moments later that Governor Swann had ordered the dock to be cleared because it took only minutes for the crowd above them to leave for the post ceremony celebration.

When everyone had vacated the area, Will helped Elizabeth onto the ladder before climbing onto it himself. By the time both of them stood upon the dock, Weatherby had arrived to meet them.

Elizabeth's cheery voice greeted him. "Hello, Father!"

The governor's voice was exasperated. "Elizabeth…"

"It looks like the christening was a success," she continued, ignoring the fact that she stood before him almost naked.

Weatherby glanced at Will, who turned away, before taking off his coat and covering her shoulders. "What have you done to become so wet?" he asked and then paused for a moment's consideration. "Do I even want to know?"

The three started walking towards a coach that had just arrived. Elizabeth replied nonchalantly, "I'm sure you already do."

Will groaned, and the governor pinched the bridge of his nose as his daughter climbed through the door. After Will followed her, Weatherby closed the door and said, "I'll send Estrella to collect your things, and I'll meet you at home shortly. Next time you find yourself growing bored at a public event," he added, "please be a little more careful."


End file.
